Comparing Hinduism Essay

should have the right knowledge, speech, aspirations, behavior, livelihood, efforts, mindfulness, and know self-concentration. Following the Eight-Fold Path leads to achieving nirvana.
Another distinction between Hinduism and Buddhism is their concepts of deity. Although Hinduism claims to be a monotheistic religion, worshiping only Brahma Nerguna, Hindus worship 33 million other gods that are aspects of Brahma Nerguna. Some of the most common gods or aspects are Ganesha, Vishnu, and Shiva. Ganesha…

Buddhist monks and nuns, each which ha a story to explain. The Abhidharma Pitaka has seven separate works, which include "detailed classifications of the psychological phenomena, metaphysical analysis, and a thesaurus of technical vocabulary."
Hinduism also has many texts but the most important of all is the Vedas. The oldest is the Rig-Veda, which was developed in an ancient form of the Sanskrit language in northeast India. It consists of 1028 hymns to many gods. Two other Vedas were added to…

Perhaps it was because of this shock that these images made such an impact. It was at this time that the young Buddha got the idea that life was a transient thing. Something that was ever changing and cyclical.
I think that in our own way we all turn away from things we do not wish to see. Maybe it is this reaction by default that helps us get through the "day by days." For some, it is enough to ignore these misfortunes for others such as Buddha, finding personal guidance in his own life…

These two concepts are very similar to the beliefs of Hinduism. In Hinduism, they believe to continue life after death. To understand this concept you have to first grasp the idea of the soul. In Hinduism people believe in the existence of the soul. They believe the soul to be external, invisible and unchanging. Atman in Hinduism means soul in English. The believed the concept of soul (atman) to be very important in human life. Just like Animism the atman or soul is a crucial part of the human body…

The ultimate goal is to achieve Nirvana. There are numerous rudimentary similarities and differences between Hinduism and Buddhism. In Buddhism the place of women is an inferior one which stems from traditional, cultural, and social values of Asia. Although females can accumulate good karma, they can rarely attain Nirvana and therefore must wait until they are born as men. In Hinduism the role of women is downgraded as well and no act is to be done according to her own will. A woman must always be…

Moreover, the Vedas illustrate how much geography, culture, language, and politics were shaped by religion and how much Hinduism was shaped by it (BBC Religion Profile, Hinduism)
2. In what ways do the sacred texts of Hinduism continue to inform Hindu ritual and practice? How does Hinduism shape daily lives in a large population centers where it is practiced today? Think in terms of policy, education, commercial institutions, and security.
The Bhagavad Gita is illustrative of how sacred texts…

The god Vishnu is the creator, and Shiva is the destroyer. One is not looked upon as better than the other. This shows the ultimate realism that the Hindu culture possesses. These are not the only gods in Hindu culture. There are many others and all have special skills and talents. The gods themselves also give birth to the idea of avatars, or the form of god when he or she comes to earth.
Perhaps the most important part of the philosophy of a religion lay in its path to enlightenment. The main…

the philosophical outlook of Hinduism, especially
concerning the ,meaning of life and the value of suffering (Boraks 17). These two groups of
books are the principal doctrines of the Hindu faith (Wangu 10). All of the works that come after
the Vedas and Upanishads are smriti texts (10).
The smriti texts include epics, Puranas, Sutras, Shastras, and devotional Bhakti songs
(Wangu 10). Two great smriti epics that have had a significant influence on Hinduism are the
Mahabharata and the Ramayana…

by increasing numbers of archeologists and religious historians. Since Hindus believe that Hinduism pertains to all human beings many timelines begin with the creation of life and includes major human accomplishments.
The Om is to Hindus As the cross is to Christians. It is made up of three Sanskrit letters, aa, au and ma which, when combined, make the sound Aum or Om. The most important symbol in Hinduism, it occurs in every prayer and invocation to most deities begins with it. As the symbol of…

Hinduism and Islam are two largely practiced religions, specifically in India and the subcontinents. Both Hinduism and Islam have unique practices and traditions, which can vary depending on the town, region or people. They share a common belief in a supreme god, that being either Brahma or Allah respectively. The traditions differ on the central texts used, as well as differences in the process of reaching the afterlife and basic beliefs.
Although, Hinduism might be regarded by some as a polytheistic…

person’s own beliefs and practices would be Hinduism. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions that exist in our world today. It is widely practiced all over the world, especially in the west. Sometimes Hinduism can be misunderstood, as some people don’t really know how to interpret Hinduism. What exactly is Hinduism? Exploring the many themes of this particular religion helps answer the many questions that are raised by others.
As mentioned earlier, Hinduism is one of the oldest religions that still…

philosophical construct. The Buddhist definition of right conduct and personal obligation, dhamma is the path which must be taken to escape the suffering of worldly life.
Other similarities between Hinduism and Buddhism are more apparent. Both religions maintain a broad perspective of religious worship. Hinduism is polytheistic while Buddhism maintains no structured belief in an independent, sentient god-like entity (especially in human form). Either of these concepts yields a malleable religion which…

Research two different religions, and determine what the origins of the religions are. Find out what is similar, and what is different about the two religions, that you choose. Analyze the two different religions and discuss.
Origin of Hinduism
The origin of Hinduism is a mystery, because there is no founder for this religion. This religion developed over four thousand years ago. There is no author for this religions scared literature. This religion is believed to originate around 2000 B.C. on the…

Attempt a comparative analysis of Hinduism, and Buddhism with reference to their origins, beliefs, and practices
Hinduism is an ancient religion whose origin and founder are not known. Hinduism is a combination of all types of different religious beliefs and philosophies that developed thousands of years ago, in India. All Hindus do not practice or follow the same doctrines. Although most follow the teachings of the Vedas, which is a collection of sacred texts, there are many different…

In Hinduism the soul is immortal while the body is subject to birth and death. Samsara is considered to be a state of wandering and is caused due to being ignorant of one’s true purpose. This idea is directly linked to karma which means action, and also the consequences of the action. It is said that every action has a reaction and it is believed in the religion of Hinduism that it determines your next incarnation, which is basically being reborn. When the cycle of rebirth comes to an end, a person…

violence and destruction to the world. This ideal of women and of fertility is almostly directly to the beiliefs of the Dravidians.
There are also many, many other gods besides these three main ones. That's one of the distinguishing factors of Hinduism, the amount and the variety of gods that were used to explain events in life and life itself. Even with all of these gods out there, worshipers were to devote most of their worship at one specific deity. This did not mean that the other gods would…

Hinduism is the name given to a family of religions and cultures that began and still flourish in India. The word “Hindu,” comes from the name of the river Indus, which flows from Tibet through Kashmir and Pakistan to the sea. It originally referred to the people living in that particular region of the world, regardless of their faith. Hinduism has no original founder and is one of the world’s largest religions following Christianity and Islam, with approximately a billion adherents. Hinduism is…

Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism
Simon Osorio
Stanbridge College
HUM 1020 (ITT/ITS)
Daniel Else
March 25, 2013
Assignment #1
Hinduism, Buddhism Jainism, and Sikhism are all Eastern religions with similar philosophical beliefs. In Hinduism you embrace a great diversity of different beliefs, a fact that can be easy confusing to western religions which are accustomed to creeds, confessions, and carefully-worded beliefs of statements. In Hinduism you can believe a wide variety of things…

is a special creation of God (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011) . Hinduism worldview on the other hand believe's that the man's soul has no beginning, that it is an eternal force in a physical body.
The Question of meaning or purpose is answered in two opposing views. The Christian Worldview believes that "Christianity is about relationship with God and not simply following the tenants of a religion" (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011). While the Hinduism Worldview sees everything around us is an illusion, and that…

answer dealt with acceptable behavior in the wide range of situations encountered in daily life.
"Moral uprightness lies in faithfulness to dharma, and dharma is rightly different for everyone. This has helped create the tolerance for which Hinduism is noted."5 The textbook gives a very general view on this topic where as The Hindu Religious Tradition does not.
The Hindu Religious Tradition also gives a great explanation on the Aryans. Aryans were pastoral nomads. The culture they brought…

rational inquiry which is done by rational people, and for naturally active people there is karma yoga which is the path of right action. “Yoga is known as the disconnection of the connection with suffering.” –The Bhagavad Gita (hinduwisdom.info) Hinduism also has a series of gods and goddess who Hindu’s pray to and worship. Durga whom is called the Ideal Warrior, Sita, who is the…

Since Hindu beliefs are based on Vedic literature, Hinduism is vital to the preservation of early Indian history and beliefs. The four main parts of the Veda are the Rig-veda, Yajur-veda, Sama-veda, and Atharva-veda. Hinduism is influenced by all four parts of the Veda and the Veda is held sacred in Hindu religion.
The Veda is what would be comparable to the Christian Bible or the Muslim Quran but is Hindu belief. All four parts of the Veda include separate, but related, philosophies. Since Vedic…

unsatisfactory and unwholesome. It was to this second level that the Buddha gave greater emphasis and importance.
JAINISM AND HINDUISM
In matters like theories of rebirth and salvation, descriptions of heaven, earth and hell, and belief in the fact that the prophets of religion take birth according to prescribed rules, we find similarities between Jainism and Hinduism. Since the disappearance of Buddhism from India, the Jains and Hindus came closer to each other and that is why in social and religious…

Hinduism and Buddhism are two of the most interesting religions in the world. To date, people still practice these religions in varying parts of the world. Although originating from the country of India, some have difficulty in differentiating between the two. Although Hinduism and Buddhism share many similarities, they are also different. What is Hinduism? Hinduism, the largest of the eastern religion and one of the oldest in the world. (Curry). Hinduism denotes the religions of majority of…

The Status and Role of Women in Hinduism and Sikhism
Renee Thompson
996976438
Professor Shiu
Monday July 4th, 2011.
Religion plays a crucial role in the daily lives of millions of people. This is even more evident in India. Hinduism and Sikhism are two very prominent religions in this nation (Pinkham, 1967). These two religions are closely linked but also have many distinct practices. Issues of the position of women in society, attitudes towards the caste system, and methods of worship are…

reincarnated inside of him. In the
19th century, movements to reconcile traditional Hinduism with the social
reforms and political ideas of the day took place. Many people where sent out
to Europe and Asia preaching and spreading the religion. Throughout all these
periods of time, the religion mutated and changed to fit with the times and as
it did it just kept gathering more and more followers.
Hinduism Today Today there are numerous self proclaimed teachers who have
migrated to Europe…

life. This differs from Hinduism in that you do not need to accumulate good karma to move closer to breaking the cycle of reincarnation. A distinct difference between Hinduism and Buddhism is that Buddhism rejects the concept of extreme asceticism. Buddhism follows what is called the “middle way” or “middle path” which, in a nutshell, means balance not too much of any one thing. Not over indulging or under indulging. Just what you need no extras are needed. Whereas in Hinduism the main goal is extreme…

liberation from the cycle of rebirth. I will explain why it is necessary for Hindus to achieve this balance in following paragraphs. All these concepts make up the worship of Hinduism, and make it what it is today.
In many religions, cultural and societal power plays a crucial role in the religion. In Hinduism, the biggest impact is the caste system. This caste system is described in one of the three sacred texts, called the Vedas. The four castes are- the Brahmans, the Vaishyas,…

Indus River in 500 BC to the accepted name for the primary religion of India this name was originally given by foreign rulers and ultimately used by Europeans in the 1500's as the official name of the religion. History plays an important part of Hinduism because new developments reinterpret an update past practices rather than end them. The Hindu religion is broke down into three periods the Vedic period, the Upanishadic period, the classical period, and the devotional period.
The Vedic period lasted…

A Comparison of Sikhism and Hinduism
What is religion? There is much debate to the exact definition of religion but according to the book Introduction to World Religions, “It is commonly used to refer to those beliefs, behaviors, and social institutions that have something to do with speculations on any, and all of the following: the origin, end and significance of the universe; what happens after death; the existence and wishes of powerful, non-human beings such as spirits, ancestors…

that stood out the most I would have to say is Hinduism and Buddhism These two religions have been around for centuries. In Hinduism it means a way of Life, traditionally is followed by Indian descent. We learned in class that Hinduism is called “Sanatan Dharma meaning External Religion. In India majority of people that reside there are identified as Hindus. Predominantly, Hinduism is of India region. There are many names that are followed by Hinduism which to name a few are Sanatan Dharma which was…

Woodward state “Vishnu is known as a god of love, benevolence, and forgiveness (Hinduism 94).” “ In some incarnations, he has come as a man.” (94). The third popular god is Brahma, the creator of the world.
Since Buddhism and Hinduism have different believes they also have different holy days. Moreover, because Hindus worship variety of gods they have a variety of festivals. The three main festivals of Hinduism are: Holi, Divali, and Dasehra. Holi is the most popular festival. This holy day…

Temples have altars and many statues or depictions of Krishna in which one can perform puja to Krishna. Mantras are also performed several times daily. These mantras are usually very simple like, “Hare Krishna, Hare Rama.” Like other forms of Hinduism, ISKCON holds the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita historically true, but does not follow traditional Indian ways. Devotees of Krishna believe that he lives in a paradisal world and with enough love and devotion for Krishna they can break free from the…

While Hinduism is not a religion with set beliefs, teachings, or gods, many Hindus follow the same book. The Vedas is one of the most common scriptures follow in the religion. The Vedas is an ancient religious text said to have been received by scholars directly from god and passed on to the next generations by word of mouth (BBC, 2009e). For hundreds of years the scripture was not written down- rather it was passed on through the word of mouth (United Religion Initiatives Kids, 2002). Teachings…

The role of women in Hinduism
The purpose of the research paper is to examine the role of women in Hinduism and how it impact their lives .This paper will look at how narratives from sacred texts influences women’s role in society in the past and in the present. The role of women in Hinduism is often disputed, and positions range from equal status with men to restrictive. Hinduism is based on numerous texts, some of which date back to 2000 BCE or earlier. They are varied in authority, authenticity…

Also, Buddhism was a more peaceful and calm religion. Unlike in Buddhism, in Hinduism there was a caste system. It was a group from a social system. Hindus had gone by using a caste system, but it was rejected in the Buddhism community which resulted in many Buddhist being laborers and craftspeople. Hindus and Buddha both had different beliefs. For example, “Hindus saw religion as a way of liberating the soul from illusions, disappointments, and mistakes of everyday existence.” (World History Patterns…

one can be reborn at a higher level. Eventually, a follower of Hinduism can escape samsara and achieve enlightenment. Bad deeds can cause a person to be reborn at a lower level, or even as an animal. The unequal distribution of wealth, prestige, and suffering are thus seen as natural consequences for one's previous acts, both in this life and in previous lives.
Samsara and moksha are the terms used in dealing with the Hinduism concept of afterlife. Samsara is the birth, death, and rebirth cycle…

for connections between interrelationships and the cosmos. They believe that if you can really know and understand the microcosm (your personal world), you can achieve and know more about the macrocosm (the entire universe).
Another key concept of Hinduism is that every individual is responsible for his or her own solution. This idea is mainly connected with the terms Karma and Dharma. Karma is this principle where actions of an individual influence the future of that individual. Karma is what feeds…

relationship with the Supreme. Though there are many deities worshipped in the Hindu religion there are three major groupings: Vaishnavites, who worship the god Vishnu, Saivites who worship the god Siva, and Saktas who worship a goddess (Fisher 2002). Hinduism is still important and followed by the people of India today.
Buddhism Religion
In the Buddhism religion, there was only one founder. Siddhartha Gantina founded Buddhism in 560 B.C. At the age of twenty nine Prince Siddhartha renounced…

Within the conscious feeling of one’s atman, the term bhraman is used to describe the universal life force that is found in everything, personal and impersonal (Smith, 2-17). Hinduism(s) emphasizes the importance of separating one’s self from the material world/samsara and promotes asceticism (abstaining from worldly desires with aims of pursuing a more religious lifestyle) (Gavin Flood, 2009). Hindu’s view self awareness, as a way to connect with one’s atman. Lastly, the concept of Karma, the cause/effect…

Both Buddhism and Hinduism are well known religions. They are two of the most popular polytheistic faiths in the world. Some people believe them to be sects of the same religion, but they are mistaken. Buddhism and Hinduism have some similarities, but many things set them apart from each other as well. They are each their own religion in many aspects.
Buddhism and Hinduism come from the same region, India. Both of them are very focused on nature, the things around them, though they both believe…

Examine and comment on contrasting standpoints about God and/or existence in relation to the topic you have investigated.
Christianity and Hinduism seem to have profoundly different views in relation to God and/or existence. For example, creation within Christian belief is primarily ex-nihilo (out of nothing). God created everything in 7 days from the light and darkness, to the day of rest. This can be illustrated by reference to Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a “In the beginning God created the heavens and…

reach that desired state and escape to Nirvana or oblivion. This is why they must work to be better in their current life to improve their position for the future life and more closely gain their oneness with Brahman.
The doctrine of karma, in Hinduism, insists that sinful actions must reap their appropriate consequences (Dickson, 2005: 225). Hindus believe that you reap what you sow and that your past behaviour “determines your fate in the present, and deeds in the present determine the future”…

Hindus believe that one's kharma can determine how one's next life will be. Kharma literally means labor. It means the sum of what one does in life, both the good deeds and bad deeds.
Hinduism has been in India forever. Nobody knows exactly how this religion started. P.N. Chopra notes in his Religions and Communities of India that India is a hallowed and sacred land for Hindus (17). It has been in India for thousands of years. It started somewhere between 4000 and 2200 BCE, in the civilization…

large monastic order. These monks and nuns are the “sons and daughters of the Buddha” (Esposito, Fasching, and Lewis 406). Anyone, despite age or caste can be a Buddhist, worship freely, and join a monastic life style. (Mittal and Thursby 81) In Hinduism you have to be of the upper castes, and there are no specific monastic groups. There are many types of Hindu ascetics who live mostly in…

by karma. It is similar to Hinduism in that karma determines the circumstances of subsequent lives, so there is continuity between personalities but not persistence of identity. Circumstances of rebirth are not seen as rewards or punishments from a controlling God but are the natural results of various good deeds and misdeeds. The cycle of rebirths involves suffering and continues until all cravings are lost and nirvana is achieved.
The basic difference between Hinduism and Buddhism is this. Hindus…

established religions, Hinduism and Buddhism have their similarities, as well as differences. Both religions are practiced in Southeast Asia, starting in India and have influenced each other. Hinduism dates back to 5,000 years ago, while Buddhism was created three centuries ago. I will explore what the two religions share and what separates the two from one another covering the origins, number of followers, the texts used, and the belief system followed.
Origin of Hinduism
Hinduism is one of the oldest…

Hinduism is one of the most complex, most varied, and diverse religions of the world in that there is no “rigid common set of beliefs” (Georgis, 62). For example, one can believe in only one god, or many gods, or no gods (Georgis, 62). One also has the freedom to choose how to practice their faiths in terms of what rituals they practice, what texts they read, or what temples they choose to go to. In fact, “inside of Hinduism there is room for millions of major and minor gods, their temples, and their…

are relevant. Hinduism has a diverse background and has been philosophized in many and numerous ways, through those many point of views it can further be described infinitely.
Hinduism in itself is a vast denomination especially for a religion that pretty much confines itself within India. This religious institution, by shear numbers and diversity of the communities, varies with the beliefs and practices of each individual, who will profess to be Hindu. In fact the term "Hinduism", originated in…

They see the cow as holy because of their gentle nature which basically represents what Hinduism is about. Everyone believes they are all vegetarians, but they are not. However many of them are vegetarians because they believe cows are above everything and should not be killed. They are allowed to eat meat as a scripture says “There is no sin in eating meat... but abstention brings great rewards” (The Cow in Hinduism). Most of Indians especially in America do eat meat because laws on them are not as…